David Lacerte v. State of Louisiana, Daryl Purpera, individually and in his capacity as Louisiana Legislative Auditor, Stephen Street, Jr., individually and in his official capacity as State Inspector General

STATE OF LOUISIANA

COURT OF APPEAL

FIRST CIRCUIT

NO. 2020 CA 1001

DAVID LACERTE

VERSUS

STATE OF LOUISIANA, DARYL PURPERA, INDIVIDUALLY AND IN
HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR,
STEPHEN STREET, JR., INDIVIDUALLY AND IN HIS OFFICIAL
CAPACITY AS STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL

Judgment Rendered. SEP 2 7 2021

Appealed from the
19th Judicial District Court
In and for the Parish of East Baton Rouge
State of Louisiana
Case No. C654973

The Honorable William A. Morvant, Judge Presiding

Jill L. Craft Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant
W. Brett Conrad, Jr. David Lacerte
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Jeff Landry Counsel for Defendant/ Appellee
Attorney General Stephen Street, Jr., individually
Preston J. Castille, Jr. and in his official capacity as
Katia D. Bowman State Inspector General
Special Assistant Attorneys General
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

BEFORE: THERIOT, PENZATO, AND WOLFE, JJ.

THERIOT, J.

This appeal arises from a trial court judgment awarding attorney fees and

costs to defendant, Stephen Street, individually and in his official capacity as State

Inspector General, following a judgment granting Street' s La. C. C. P. art. 971

special motion to strike. For the following reasons, we reverse.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

David Lacerte, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans

Affairs, filed a defamation suit against the State of Louisiana; Daryl Purpera,

individually and in his official capacity as Louisiana Legislative Auditor; and

Stephen Street, individually and in his official capacity as State Inspector General.

Lacerte' s defamation claims arose from a joint investigation conducted by the

Legislative Auditor and the Inspector General, which culminated in a report

published by the defendants via press release. Lacerte alleged that the report and

press release wrongfully accused him of criminal conduct, including falsifying

public records by providing an inaccurate military biography on the Louisiana

Department of Veterans Affairs' website and engaging in questionable hiring,

spending, travel, and organizational practices during his tenure with the

Department of Veterans Affairs.

The defendants filed a joint special motion to strike pursuant to La. C. C. P.

art. 971, which provides in part that "[ a] cause of action against a person arising

from any act of that person in furtherance of the person' s right of petition or free

speech under the United States or Louisiana Constitution in connection with a

public issue shall be subject to a special motion to strike, unless the court

determines that the plaintiff has established a probability of success on the claim."

La. C. C. P. art. 971( A)( 1). The joint motion sought to dismiss Lacerte' s suit for

defamation in its entirety, against all defendants in their individual and official

capacities, on the grounds that he could not meet his burden of proving a likelihood

F)

of success on the merits of his defamation claim. Lacerte opposed the motion and

filed an expedited motion to strike, contending that the State of Louisiana and

Purpera and Street in their official capacities have no constitutional rights and,

thus, are not " persons" entitled to relief under Article 971. Lacerte also asserted

that the joint motion was untimely under Article 971( C)( 1). By judgment dated

May 15, 2019, the trial court denied Lacerte' s expedited motion to strike and

granted the defendants' joint special motion to strike. Lacerte appealed this

judgment, and the defendants answered the appeal.

While the appeal of the May 15, 2019 judgment was pending, Street,

individually and in his official capacity as Inspector General, filed a motion for

attorney fees and costs pursuant to Article 971( B), which provides that the

prevailing party on a special motion to strike shall be awarded reasonable attorney

fees and costs. Following a hearing, the trial court signed a judgment on June 22,

2020 in favor of Street, individually and in his official capacity as Inspector

General, awarding attorney fees of $58, 466. 25 and costs. Lacerte filed the instant

appeal, arguing that the trial court erred in awarding attorney fees and costs to

Street.'

On January 4, 2021, this court rendered judgment reversing the trial court' s

May 15, 2019 judgment. Considering the reversal of the judgment granting the

defendants' Article 971 special motion to strike, defendants' answer to the appeal

requesting additional attorney fees and costs was denied. See Lacerte v. State,

2019- 1401, pp. 18- 19 ( La.App. 1 Cir. 1/ 4/ 21), 317 So. 3d 763, 776, writ denied,

2021- 00193 ( La. 3/ 23/ 21), 313 So. 3d 272.

The June 22, 2020 judgment now before us on appeal granted Street' s

motion for attorney fees and costs because Street was a prevailing party on an

1 Street answered the appeal, seeking additional attorney fees and costs for work done on appeal.
However, Street later filed a Motion to Withdraw/Dismiss Answer to Appeal, which was granted
by this court on June 30, 2021.

3

Article 971 special motion to strike. However, considering our reversal of the trial

court' s judgment granting the special motion to strike, and the Louisiana Supreme

Court' s denial of the supervisory writ application, we must reverse the trial court' s

judgment awarding Street attorney fees and costs pursuant to Article 971( B).2

CONCLUSION

For the reasons set forth herein, the June 22, 2020 trial court judgment in

favor of Street is reversed. Street' s motion to vacate/ dismiss judgment is denied.

Costs of this appeal in the amount of $ 1, 551. 50 are assessed to Street, in his

official capacity as Louisiana Inspector General.

REVERSED.

2 On July 19, 2021, Street filed a Motion to Vacate/ Dismiss Judgment, requesting that this court vacate or dismiss
the trial court' s June 22, 2020 judgment with prejudice. In light of our disposition of this matter, Street' s motion is
denied.

C!